Tubing positioner for upper zone of dually completed well



July 31, 1962 c. D. CARTER, JR 3,047,069

TUBING POSITIONER FOR UPPER ZONE OF DUALLY COMPLETED WELL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 9, 1959 INVENTOR.

C. D. CARTER JR. BY M W A 7' TORNEVS FIG.

July 31, 1 62 c. D. CARTER, JR

TUBING POSITIONER FOR UPPER ZONE 0F DUALLY COMPLETED WELL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 9, 1959 INVENTOR. C. D. CARTER JR WIMP W A TTORNEVS *Eatented July 31, 1%62 TQQ 3,947,069 TUBING PGSITIONER FOR UPPER ZONE F DUALLY (IQWLETED WELL Charlie B. Carter, in, Tehuacana, Tex, assignor to Phih lips Petroleum Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 845,345 2 Claims. (til. res-55.1

This invention relates to an apparatus for positioning a lower dual well production tubing at the level of the upper production zone.

To prepare a dual production well for producing from the two zones the well casing adjacent each zone must be perforated. With production 'tubings for producing the two zones being in place it is merely necessary to lower a casing perforating gun, for example, a jet perforating gun, down the lower zone production tubing and perforate the casing. Since oil well casings are not of particularly large diameters, especially in deep wells, difiiculty can be encountered when attempting to perforate the casing adjacent the upper formation because the lower production tubing may be improperly positioned in the casing adjacent the upper oil-bearing formation and thus not allow sufficient space for accommodation of a perforating gun. It is realized that if the lower production tubing could be held at a position adjacent the wall of the casing, then there would be suficient room for introduction of and operation of a jet perforator.

This invention is directed to an apparatus for holding a lower production zone tubing adjacent the wall of the casing in the vicinity of the upper oil-bea=rlng formation so that a perforating gun can be inserted into the casing and properly operated for perforation of the casin at the level of the upper formation.

An object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for properly positioning a lower formation production tubing in a dual production well at the level of the upper formation so that a perforating gun can be inserted and operated. Other objects and advantages of this invention will be realized upon reading the following description which, taken with the attached drawing, forms a part of this specification.

In the drawing lFlGURE '1 is a view, partly in section and in perspective, illustrating apparatus of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view, partly in section and in perspective, of an alternate embodiment of apparatus of this invention.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view of a portion of a jet perforating gun frequently employed in perforating oil well casing. FIGURE 6 is a view, partly in section, and in perspective, of still another embodiment of this invention.

Referring to the drawing, and specifically to FIGURE 1, reference numeral 11 identifies an oil well casing which lines a borehole extending through a pair of oil-bearing formations identified by reference numerals 12 and 13. Reference numeral 12 identifies the upper and 13 the lower of the two formations. A production tubing 14 extends from the well head to a level between formations 12 and 13. Tubing 15 extends from the well head down to a level somewhat above the level of the upper formation. A packer 17 seals the annulus between the casing 11 and the tubing 14 at a level slightly above formation 13. A packer 16 seals the space within casing 11 around tubings 14 and 15 at a level somewhat above the lower end of tubing 15.

Because the vertical distance between packers 16 and e a 17 is frequently quite large, for example, frequently 100 feet or more, tubing 14 between the two packers is not necessarily perfectly straight and curves in the tubing at this level may be such that the tubing may occupy most any position in the casing. Because of this unforcastable positioning of tubing 14% between the packers, the condition frequently exists that there is not ample space for lowering of a perforating gun 2%. in some instances the perforating gun can be lowered through tubing 15 to a level between the packers but suificient space is not available for properly positioning charge capsules 2.2 and 24 prior to actuation of the explosive charges of the capsules. As is known, these capsules must be swung outward from the body of the perforator gun into a horizontal position before they can be discharged; thus, an appreciable space must be provided so that the perforating gun can be operated. According to the invention one or more positioners 1% are provided to hold the lower production tubing 14 to one side of the casing thereby providing sufiicient space for proper operation of the perforating gun. Since the positioners are rigidly attached to some component of the tubing string, they are attached thereto prior to the running of this string of tubing.

In assembling the production apparatus of the well, the lower packer 17 is set by wire line first or may be installed on the tubing 1-4 and run into the hole with it with the positioners 18 properly positioned. Packer 16 is positioned on tubing 14 and run into the well with the tubing. Tubing 15 can be run simultaneously with tubing 14 or it can be run subsequently. For perforating casing 11 adjacent the lower oil-bearing formation 13, a perforator 29 is merely lowered through tubing 14 until the perforator is adjacent formation 13 and the tubing is then perforated. The positioners hold tubing 14 quite close to the wall of the casing and perforator 21} can then be lowered down tubing 15 until it reaches a level opposite the upper formation 12. The charge capsules identified by reference numerals 22, 23 and 24 are unlocked or triggered for proper positioning prior to ignition of the charges. On reference to FiGURE 2, for example, if a charge capsule 22 or 24, in locked position (as illustrated by capsule 23 of FlGURE 5) faces tubing 14, upon release of the capsule and its movement toward a horizontal position, the perforator immediately orients itself in a position as illustrated in EIGURES 2 or 4 or at least orientation is such that the charge capsules do not pointin the direction of the tubing. As is known in the jet perforating art, none of the charge capsules can be ignited until all of them are in a horizontal position. Thus, by use of positioner-s similar to positioners 18, such jet perforating guns are easily oriented so as not to perforate the tubing leading to the lower producing formation when perforating the casing for upper formation production. The charge capsules are spring loaded to urge them to a horizontal position. The spring loading causes the gun to rotate to the'position shown in FIGURES 2 and 4 in the event a capsule strikes tubing 14 so that this tubing will not be in the line of fire.

A jet perforating gun suitable for perforating casing when using the tubing positioner of this invention is manufactured by Welex J'et Services, incorporated, Fort Worth, Texas, and is illustrated in the Oil and Gas Joural, volume 53, No. 36, pages 32 and 33, January 10, 1955.

The positioner illustrated in FIGURES l and 2 is con-' V perforating than the inner diameter of the'casing in which it is to be used. With the positioner so formed it is Welded to a coupling 25, the welding being illustrated by welds 26, shown in FIGURE 2. With the two positioners properly welded to couplings the string of production tubing is then run into the Well with the couplings 25 being spaced from one another at such a distance as to provide ample operating space for a perforating gun.

While the installation of the positioners as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 is illustrated and described as being attached to tubing couplings, the positioners can, of course, be attached to one or more joints of tubing or one positioner can be attached to a coupling and anothe to a joint of tubing.

Furthermore, in some instances, it is not necessary to employ two of the tubing positioners as illustrated in FIGURE 1. One positioner installed as illustrated by, for example, the upper'positioner 18 of FIGURE 1, frequently will properly position tubing 14 so that perforating gun 2t? can be lowered by a wire line 21 down tubing15 to a level just slighlty below or above this single positioner. In such a case one positioner is all that is required. However, it is preferable to employ a pair of positioners as illustrated in FIGURE 1. 7

FIGURE 3 illustrates an alternate embodiment of positioner as positioner 33 which is quite'similar to positioner 18 of FIGURE 1. .Posi-tioner 33, however, is made from an approximately elliptical plate. Such an elliptical plate is then formed or bent so as to have approximately a circular cross section as illustrated in FIGURE 4. In this case one or two of the positioners 33 are attached to a lower formation production tubing 32 in a manner similar to that employed for attaching positioner 18 to tubing 14 of FIGURE 1. Another means employed for attaching positioner 33 to tubing 32 is illustrated in FIGURE '4. This other means comprises a pair of rounded braces down the tubing and heldin proper elevation by a wire line 35.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view, taken on the line4-4, of FIGURE 3 and illustrates snitableiorientation of the tioner 43 a perforating gun, provided with charge capsules and supported by wire line 45, is shown} The positione'rs of this invention can be made of sections of easing or pipe or, for example, positioners 18 and SS can be made from a flat plate and. rounded to a desired diameter. It is, of course, understood that more than two tubing positioners can be used if deemed necessary. Other style perforating guns than that hereinabove disclosed can be used with the positioners of this invention. The only requirement being that the type of perforating gun be such as to insure that it will not fire into the longer tubing string.

While certain embodiments of the invention have been described for illustrative purposes, the invention obviously is not limited thereto.

I claim:

1. In a dual production well provided with a casing and a well head, the improvement comprising, in combination, a first packer set in said casing at a level above. the upper of two formations, a second packer set in said casing at a level intermediate the two formations, a first tubing extending from thewell head down the casing and through said first packer and terminating near'its lower surface, a second tubing extending from the well head down the casing and through both packers, a plate 7 in said casing shaped to conform to the inner wall of said'casing at 'a level intermediate said packers, said plate extending around a major portion of the inner circumference of said casing, the outer diameter of said plate being slighlty less than the inner diameter of said casing, said second tubing being rigidly attached to the inner wall of said plate in such a manner that the outer wall of said second tubing is substantially in contact with'said plate thereby leaving a sufficient area within said plate to gun when the charge capsules are in firing r accommodate a perforating gun lowered downward through said first tubingand so adapted as to formguide means for said perforating, gun and beingof a diameter to accommodate and orient said perforating gun'when lowered in the area within saidplate but of slightly less diameter than the perforating gun with the charges there! in extended. 7

2. Apparatus for use in dual-completing awell which comprises: a casing in the well, a first pipe string -extending into the casing including a plurality of tubular pipe sections connected together by coupling'rnembers, saidcoupling members having attached thereto plates beingof substantially circular cross section, the outer diameter of same being slightly less than the inner diameter of saidcasing, .the inner diameter of said plates being greater than the outer diameter of a second pipe string to be positioned and so adapted that it forms guide means for a 1 perforator and having a diameter sufiicient to accommodate and orient said perforator when lowered into the area to be occupied by said second pipe string but of slightly less diameter than the perforating gun with the charges therein extended, said plates tending also to bias said first pipe string against the casting and oriented alignment to guide asecond tubular pipe string as it is lowered into the hole. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent I UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,994,382 OReilly Aug. 1, 1961 

